Card feeding apparatus



Inventor 4 Sheets-Sheet l f/A/QA y J. VC. DAVY CARD FEEDING APPARATUS Jan. 6, 1959 Filedn May 4, 195e Jan. 6, 1959 J. c. DAvY 2,857,437

CARD FEEDING APPARATUS Filed May 4, -1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Jan. s, 1959 J. C. DAvY 2,867,437

' CARDLFEEDING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet `3 I ventor bm/C. Aw

Jan. 6," 1959 J. c. DAvY CARD FEEDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 4, 1956 United States Patent O ice 2,361,431 `CARD FEEDING APPARATUS John Colin Davy, Woldingham, England, assignor to PoWers-Samas Accounting Machines Linuted, London, England, a British company Application May 4, 1956, Serial No. 582,796 Claims priority,uapplication Great Britain June 3, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. 271-44) This invention relates to card feeding apparatus and in particular to apparatus for feeding the bottom card from a pile contained in a magazine. n

It is a main object of the present invention to provide a card feeding apparatus whereby a pusher element or elements, on initial engagement with an edge of the bottom card containedin the magazine, will engage the edge suliiciently to initiate the feeding movement of the card and will thereafter be so moved relative to the bottom of the magazine as progressively to increase the effective card-engaging area of the pusher element or elements thereby to ensure positive feeding movement of the card through a throat located atthe forward end of the magazine.

' It is a further object of the invention to provide a card feeding apparatus whereby as a card feeding element is moved through the magazine and removes the bottomA card fromthe pile contained therein, it also relieves from the card being removed the downward pressure exerted by the pile thereby to ensure the positive free movement of the card through the throat atthe forward end of the magazine.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of card feeding apparatus according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line lI-IL Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is a top plan of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a section on line`IV--IV, Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a section on line V--V, Fig. 3, and

Figs. 6 to 9 diagrammatically illustrate the mode of operation of the ycard feeding apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, a pile of cards C, Figs. 6 to 9 is supported on the bottom of a magazine consisting of front and rear Walls 1, 2 and a single end wall 3. The magazine is provided with three walls only so that it is constructed to accommodate cards of different lengths.

The bottom of the magazine is formed by a ramp 4, secured in any suitable manner, as for example by screws not shown, to aplate 5 supported by side frames 6 and 7, Fig. l. The upper surface of the ramp 4 is parallel with the surface of the plate 5 until it reaches the inner face of the magazine wall 2 and thereafter, as illustrated in the drawings, the upper face of the ramp is a cardengaging surface which declines progressively from said inner face of wall 2 towards a throat 8 through which the bottom card of the pile is fed by pusherelements described below. The throat 8 is formedby the space between the thin end of ramp 4 andthe lower edge of a throat knife9 which isv adjustably secured to the. front wall 1 of the magazine. VThe rinnerfacei10 of thethroat knife 9 projects inwards into the magazine, as illustrated in the drawings, to engage the front edges of cards as they descend towards the bottom of the magazine thereby to guide the cards of the pile laterally towards the rear wall 2 of the magazine. This feature of the throat knife is of particular usefulness when the cards to be fed from the pile are used cards which may or may not haveragged or burred lateral rear edges. The sloping face 10 of the throat knife ensures that the cards are properly located against the rear wall 2 of the magazine so as to bein proper position for initial engagement by the pusher elements which are to remove the bottom card from the pile. v p

The means by which the bottom cardl of the pile is removed from the magazine comprises a plurality of pusher elements 11. In the construction shown in the drawings three such pusher elements are provided, as can be seen from Figs. l and 3. Each pushergelement 11 is rockable about a pivotv12 carried by a reciprocable feed bar 13 by which the pusher element 11 is moved inv magazine, and the axes of the three'pivots 12 are aligned.

Each pusher element 11 is provided with a ltail 14 normallyurged into engagement -with ab fixed4 stop 15 bya spring 16 carried by the feed ibar v13.`

The feed bars 13 are supported `for recprocable lengthwise movement by slotted'b'arsh 17, of which one is shown inFig. 2, spacedapart along the lengthY of and secured to the under side of the plate S.v Secured to each of the. feed bars y131 is a depending block18, Figs. l and 2, through which passes a'drive bar 19 common tothe three feed bars. The opposite `ends of the drive ybar 19 are located in drive rods 20, 21 slidable lengthwise in the slotted oars 17' and arranged to't'ake the thrust from drive arms 22, 23 which engage the drive bar 19 and are secured to a rocking shaft y24 pivotally mounted in the frames 6, 7.' Rockingrrnov'enent of the drive arms 21,

22 is effected through a bridge bar 25 which connects the l drive ar'rns and to which is connected `a drive link 26 carrying a cam follower 27, Fig. 2, co-operating with a cam 28 rotatable with a continuously rotatable drive shaft 29. Springs 30"'are'anhoredfat one end to xed anchors 31 and at the other-fend to plates, .not shown, secured to the drive rods 20, 21 and these springs act to restore the feed bars and pusher yelements to the starting positions thereof, illustrated in`Fig. 6. j v

Referring tojFigs. 6 to 9, on lmovement of the pusher elements 11 from the starting position thereof, as shown in Fig. 6and'to the left'as yiewed in that figure, the pusher elements are moved through the rear `wall 2 of the magazine andthe card-engaging faces of the pusher elements project above the cardfengaging surface ofthe ramp only` for a distance, for example 0.010 inch, `sufficient to ensure initial engagement of the pusher .elements with the rear edge of the bottom card of the pile resting on the ramp. The initial engagement of the pusher elegaging faces of the pusherfelements effect engagement with the full thickness of the card edge and the upper portions of the pusher elements extend above the upper face of the card engaged thereby and ensure'the lpositive movement of the bottomcard through the throat 8;M Atl the same time the upper edges of the pusher elements 11 co-operate with the ramp 4 to support the pile of cards so that the weight thereof is removed from the card being moved out of the magazine by the pusher elements. As the pusher elements 11 leave the magazine, as illusy Patented J an. 6, -1.95719 the return.- movement of the pusher elements 11 to. the

starting positions thereof, as the pusherf elements are' returned beneaththe magazine, they are engaged by the bottom card to the pile and rocked counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 6 tol 9, about their pivots 12 and against the action'ofthe springs 16, so that they pass freely beneath the magazine and when the card-engagingfaces of the pushers pass the rear wall 2 'of the magazine the springs 16 again restore the pusher elementsinto engagementfwith the stops so that they are in the opera-V tive feedinggpositions thereof; j

j The VYcard-feeding. apparatus vherein described' issuitable for feedingnelw cards, thatis cards. which have notY pre viously been fed-,through a: machine, or for. feeding; old cards,I thabis: cards--whichzhave.- been previously used. In. someinstances, the cardsfmay have burred or broken rear. edges,.that. is. the. edges. to be engaged by the cardf engaging vfaces of the Vpusher elements. 1.1 and,l should this. be so, the burred edges. may tend to prevent the bottom card of a pilefrom'being properly seated on the bottom ofthe magazine for initialv engagement by,` the card-engaging faces of the pusher elements. 11. The card-feeding elementsl are, however, as can be seen from frlgs; Zand 3, each of very narrow width, about 0.0.35 inch, so as to engage only ashort length of the rear edge of a card. to be fed and this arrangement of the card feeding element'spermits the ramp 4 to be provided with recesses 33 in areas thereof which, as can be seen from Figs. 4 and 5., are disposed on opposite sides of the paths.

of the pusher elementsl through the magazine. By this arrangement the edge of the card to be engaged by the pusher elements 1'1 is supported only by relatively nar-1 row ramp areasf34, seevFig. 5, vand the Aweight of the pile.

It will be understood thatV theY apparatus described above canaifv dsired,.be modied in that the bottom of the magazine may consi/stief ahorizontal plate and the progressive increase of -thel card-engagingarea'sl of th'ei pusher elements obtained.` by stationary cams co-'acting with the pusher elements to obtain the effects herein' de-V scribed during the removal'of'the bottom card from a pile. contained in a magazine.v u I claim: j

j IzCardH feeding- ,apparatus` comprising: a'. magazine havmgabottom 'by which a' pile of cardsqis supported and 'a throat. through. which. the card resting. on the bottom 1s fed, a pusher element reciprocable in a straightY line path towards. and from said. throat and having a. card-engaging face projecting through said bottom to engagey the. rear edge of tl-ie card resting thereon and to maintain engagement with said edge` until'itfis moved` through said throat, said bottom includlng a ramp having on opposite sides of! the path of the pusher element card-engaging surfaces the level" of which, at the position of r'stnengagement of. a card1 by the pusherelement is such as to permit said face to engage avportionV only of the thickness of; the card edge and which declines progressively from said position towards saidv throat to. Vpermit progressive.l projection of said Vface above said surfaces. to effect engagement of the full thickness of the card edge.l during movement of the card by said faceV vthrough said. throat.

2. Card feeding apparatus comprising'. a magazine having a lengthwise slotted bottom by which al pile of cards is supported and a throat throughwhichthe Ycard resting on the bottom is fed, a reciprocable feed bar operable beneath said bottom, a pusher element pivoted on said feed bar for movement therewith, a spring acting on said pusher element to project it through the slot in said bottom during movement of the pusher element towards the throatv while `engaging the rear edge of a card resting on the bottom and to maintain projectionr of the pusher element through the slot unitl the element is 4moved through: the throat, said bottom including a ramp having on. opposite sides ofthe. path of the pusher element card-engaging surfaces the level of which at the position of irst engagement of a card by thepusher element is such as to permit.. saidface to engage a portion only of the thickness ofthe card edge and which declines progressively from said position towards said throat to permit progressive projection ofsaidrfaceabovesaid surfaces to eifectV engagement-of the full thickness of. the card edge duringrnovement.of'v

the card by said facefthroughpsaid.throat.

3; Card: feding-l apparatus?, comprising 7.a;y magazine having a lengthwise slotted bottom by which al pilev of cards is' supported and a throat through which the card restingA on the bottom is fed, a reciprocable feed bar operable beneath said bottom, `a pushery element pivoted on said feed vbar for movement therewith, a spring acting on saidpusher clementfto project. it through. theVV slot in said bottomgduring movement'v of the pusher element towards the throatlwhile engagingthe` rear-edge of a card resting on the bottom and to maintainprojection of the pusher element through the slot untilthe element is movedv through the throat',l said bottompincluding a ramp having ,on opposite sides of thepath of the pusher element card-engaginggsurfaces the level of which'at the. position` of first engagement of a card by the pusher element is such as to permitv said face to engagea portion only of the thickness ofthe card edge and which declines progressively from said positionV towards said throat to permit progressive projection of said face above said surfaces to effect engagement of thev full thickness of vthe card edge during movement ofithe card by said face through-said throat, said sloping card-engaging surfaces 'of' the'ramp being of relatively narrow width in the areasz'thereofr atwhich; the card is initially engaged by thepusher element.

4. Card feeding apparatus comprising a magazine having a bottom including-ja' card-engagingsurface by which a pile of cards issupportedgandv althroat through which the card resting againsti said card-engaging surface of the bottom is fed, a pusherl element reciprocal in a straight line path towards and from said throat and. having ecard-engaging facexproject'ing beyondsaid cardeengagingf surface, of said. bottom to engagethe rear edge of. the. cardresting against said card-engaging sur'- fce and to maintain.` engagement with Said card-edge until thevcard is moved through said throat, the level of said card-engaging surfaceat the position of rst engagement of a card 'byfthe pusher element being such as to permit said face to engage a portion only of the thickness of the card edge, said surface declining Vprogressively from said position towards said throat to permit progressive projection of said facev beyond said surface to effect engagement ofthe full thickness of the card edge during movement of the card by said face through said throat. j

References Cited in the tile ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

